Battle for Endor: Listbuilding pt. 3 - Rebel Mothma Squids

 

Mon Mothma... that's a name I haven't heard since Ard put the fear of the MC30 into me. IMO, the 2.0 version of MM is pretty irrelevant. Craken offers a more consistent damage reduction across the fleet, while Agate is better when you run a decked-out MC30.

The Mommy Mothma 3.0 (the ARC01 one) does have a redeeming feature, however: she can ECM your evade tokens, which makes her interesting on both double and single evade ships. You're still limited by your evade tokens; they are not limitless, but as long as they last, she'll get to actually use her ability to enhance your evades.

While she isn't overpowered in any sense of the word, she looks like she can be a bit annoying. A properly built MSU/rogue ball featuring Mommy M can be hard to get at, let alone score many points off. She's somewhat of a soft counter to nuScreed - though not at Close - and would make the overpriced Onagers even sadder than they already are.

Note: MC30s are squids, not shrimps. Anyone can see that. And the QUARREN GUNSHIP settles this once and for all - they are literally SQUIDS THEMSELVES!!!

How I Approach Listbuilding

Before diving into more fleets for the Battle for Endor event, here’s a quick look at how I personally approach listbuilding. I’m not claiming to be the most creative or the guy who breaks the meta every month—but after ten years of flying little plastic spaceships, I have a pretty solid feel for what works and what usually doesn’t.

1. Concept is key.
   Decide what you want your fleet to do—and how it’s going to do it. Everything else flows from that core idea.

2. Lean into synergies.
   Commanders, objectives, upgrades—if they make your list’s strong points stronger, you’re probably on the right track.

3. Don’t try to do everything.
   This is a 400-point game, not a “cover every base” simulator. Pick your strengths and focus there.

4. Know your weaknesses.
   Decide how you’re going to handle them: tweak the list, develop specific tactics, or just accept some bad matchups as part of the plan. But don’t overcomplicate this step—you can’t future-proof against everything.

5. Don’t sweat the last few points.
   Whether Bright Hope takes Jamming Field, Slicers, or Comms Net, all of them are the “correct” choice depending on how a game actually plays out. Make a call and move on (I will, of course, still fret).

6. Bidding is optional.
   I rarely bid unless I have a very specific reason. If I can get to 400 without sacrificing the concept, I do. It's just a personal preference.

7. Playtest.
   Armada has good and bad lists, but many “off-meta” builds can work with enough practice. Test against a wide variety of fleets—especially the ones you think will give you trouble.

8. Embrace the last-minute panic.
   Right before the event, second-guess everything, throw the list out, and take something that “feels right” despite minimal playtesting. This is the way.

Applying the concepts

For this list, I'm doing MM + double evades (and a scatter/evade Bright Hope, almost as annoying), and some rogues to screen me and provide some bombing support against squadless or squad light. The list does have some weaknesses, and I can already see both some 134-squad and all-ship lists that could give me trouble, or fleets with bigger rogue balls, but I'm confident that even the hard matchup will be hard-pressed to milk me for very many points.

I'd like a fifth ship, but then I must either sacrifice squads (nope) or drop a MC30 to another TRC90 (fine, but that's not a double squid list anymore, so no). EST + AP on Admo is semi-redundant, but they serve complementary functions, so I like this. Admo could easily be a torpedo frigate but this makes it a lot more obvious which ship will do what.

Things I could fret over: Whether to bring Slicers or not on BH. If the flagship should have Blast Doors. Is Toryn Farr worth it here, or is Hondo more useful? Why is there no Comms Net in this list? And so forth. But those are the minor changes that won't really make or break my list, so I should start playtesting instead.

Same with the objective selection. Infested or Volatile, for example. Volatile ties me down a bit, but fits well with Ion Storm. But again, better get playtesting and tweak the little stuff later.

Final words: While I think this is a promising MM list... It's not really the kind of list I enjoy playing the most. I prefer lists with a centerpiece ship + supporting ships & squadrons. So maybe if I could jam Amity into this 😅

### 400 points ###

Name: Yo Mothma

Faction: Rebels

Commander: Mon Mothma

Version: ARC01

Assault: Ion Storm

Defense: Asteroid Tactics

Navigation: Infested Fields

MC30c Scout Frigate (69)

• Mon Mothma (27)

• Expert Shield Tech (5)

• Ordnance Experts (4)

• Reinforced Blast Doors (5) (optional)

• Assault Proton Torpedoes (4)

• Turbolaser Reroute Circuits (7)

• Foresight (10)

= 131 Points

MC30c Scout Frigate (69)

• Expert Shield Tech (5)

• Ordnance Experts (4)

• Advanced Projectors (6)

• Assault Proton Torpedoes (4)

• Turbolaser Reroute Circuits (7)

• Admonition (10)

= 105 Points

CR90 Corvette A (44)

• Turbolaser Reroute Circuits (7)

• Jaina's Light (5)

= 56 Points

GR-75 Medium Transports (18)

• Toryn Farr (7) (or Hondo)

• Jamming Field (2) (or Comms Net or Slicer Tools)

• Bright Hope (2)

= 29 Points

Squadrons:

• Shara Bey (17)

• Tycho Celchu (16)

• Lando Calrissian (24)

• Ketsu Onyo (22) (or Corran Horn for more AS)

= 79 Points

Total Points: 400

Battle for Endor: Listbuilding pt. 2 - GAR Luminara All-ship

Before we move on to some lists with squadrons, I wanted to share the GAR equivalent of my MT all-ship list. Again, the goal is to play with the new toys, which is the HEIGHT of competitive list-building!

This one leverages Lumianara for a defensive boost and IF! for a bit of dice fixing. The new Imperator will dash in and smash face. Lumi will sweep. The Arq can spam CF and get a good amount of 6 dice attack pools even at long range. With no Vet Gunners, it CAN be swingy tho.

I like this list. It has good damage output, though not as much as the MT one, but it's more flexible and can defend better. Not 100% on the AG, but it's not entirely wrong. I'd probably chicken out and swap in something safer right before the event tho 😅

### 400 points ###

Name: Imperator Lux

Faction: Republic

Commander: Luminara Unduli

Version: ARC01

Assault: Advanced Gunnery

Defense: Contested Outpost

Navigation: Intel Sweep

Venator I (90)

• Luminara Unduli (25)

• Adi Galia (3)

• Local Fire Control (4)

• Intensify Firepower! (6)

• Flak Guns (3)

• External Racks (4)

• DBY-827 Heavy Turbolasers (3)

• Resolute (4)

= 142 Points

Venator Imperator Refit (100)

• Intel Officer (7)

• Ordnance Experts (4)

• Thermal Shields (5)

• External Racks (4)

• Expanded Launchers (8)

• Tranquility (7)

= 135 Points

Arquitens Light Cruiser (52)

• Clone Captain Silver (4)

• Clone Captain Zak (5)

• Clone Gunners (4)

= 65 Points

Pelta Transport Frigate (45)

• Clone Navigation Officer (4)

• Projection Experts (6)

• Munitions Resupply (3)

= 58 Points

Squadrons:

= 0 Points

Total Points: 400

Battle for Endor: Listbuilding pt. 1 - CIS Mar Tuuk All-ship

I've signed up for the Battle of Endor (Online Armada on TTS) and figured I need to craft a list or three... 

Haven't been playing a lot of competitive Armada these past few years, so my list-building skills are a bit rusty, but surely, I should be able to put something together!

Endor is an ARC01 event, so one of my criteria is to try out some of the new stuff. That's a sound approach to competitive listbuilding, right? RIGHT!???

Since the Quarren Gunship looks pretty interesting, I wanted to include it. And why not use the Command Frigate as well?

I came up with the MT all ship list. It's... not perfect. It has no defense against squadrons except to get in your face and smash. Except that's easier said than done against, say, a rogue ball and supporting fast ships. On the other hand, it has plenty of firepower, four threat vectors, the ability to fight at all ranges, and just enough dice fixing to fix the worst red dice have to offer. And if one ship dies, it doesn't give up too many points.

MT could potentially go on another ship, but overall, the cigar is the right spot for him. Tikkes would be fine on the flag as well, but TRC+CF tokens are very useful on this version of PF. Speaking of PF, that's a lot of long-range pew pew for only 100 points, especially when aided by IF! Same with the Quarren... super slick at 70 points but a lot of firepower.

What do you think? Is the list viable? Potentially fun to fly? Or am I completely off target here? Drop a comment and let me know!

Next time I'll take a look at a Republic list using the new Veneator, so stay tuned for part 2.

### 400 points ###

Name: Marty McTuuk

Faction: Separatists

Commander: Mar Tuuk

Version: ARC01

Assault: Opening Salvo

Defense: Hyperspace Assault

Navigation: Solar Corona

Providence Carrier (102)

• Mar Tuuk (28)

• Thermal Shields (5)

• Intensify Firepower! (6)

= 141 Points

Recusant Light Destroyer (85)

• Tikkes (2)

• Turbolaser Reroute Circuits (7)

• Patriot Fist (6)

= 100 Points

Munificent Command Frigate (74)

• Thermal Shields (5)

• Linked Turbolaser Towers (7)

• Munitions Resupply (3)

= 89 Points

Quarren Gunship (63)

• Ordnance Experts (4)

• Disposable Capacitors (3)

= 70 Points

Squadrons:

= 0 Points

Total Points: 400

Sato Hammerswarm

 

Here are a couple of Sato fleets, one at the standard 400 and one at 600, that should make you smile. The fleets have MC30, Hammerheads, Rogues... if you don't think this looks fun, you're a sourpuss. 

I've only played the 400-point version (during ARC01 playtesting), and it was quite a bit of fun. It's definitely NOT the best way to run Sato if you want maximum efficiency, but the fun factor is there AND the thematic factor! And bc of nuSato, it's reasonably effective even. 

Still suffers from the normal Sato problem - how do you balance ships and squads - and the HH problem - you gonna bleed points. But for a casual game with your buddy? Try it out. 

The 600-point version is just a straight expansion of the original, with an extra MC30 and more squadrons. Why include this? Well, because 600 points is amazing for casual games and I want to convince more players to try it. Plays a lot like "normal" Armada, but you can fit more stuff and have even more fun, without it taking much longer to play (things go boom quickly).

### 400-points ###

Name: Sato Hammerswarm 400

Faction: Rebels

Commander: Commander Sato

Version: ARC01

Assault: Most Wanted

Defense: Abandoned Mining Facility

Navigation: Volatile Deposits

MC30c Scout Frigate (69)

• Commander Sato (25)

• Ordnance Experts (4)

• Assault Proton Torpedoes (4)

• Spinal Armament (9)

• Foresight (10)

= 121 Points

Hammerhead Torpedo Corvette (36)

• Disposable Capacitors (3)

• Assault Proton Torpedoes (4)

• Task Force Organa (1)

= 44 Points

Hammerhead Torpedo Corvette (36)

• Disposable Capacitors (3)

• Assault Proton Torpedoes (4)

• Task Force Organa (1)

= 44 Points

Hammerhead Torpedo Corvette (36)

• Disposable Capacitors (3)

• Assault Proton Torpedoes (4)

• Task Force Organa (1)

= 44 Points

Hammerhead Torpedo Corvette (36)

• Disposable Capacitors (3)

• Assault Proton Torpedoes (4)

• Task Force Organa (1)

= 44 Points

GR-75 Medium Transports (18)

• Wedge Antilles (4)

• Jamming Field (2)

• Bright Hope (2)

= 26 Points

Squadrons:

• Han Solo (24)

• Luke Skywalker (20)

• Shara Bey (17)

• Tycho Celchu (16)

= 77 Points

Total Points: 400

### 600-points ###

Name: Sato Hammerswarm 600

Faction: Rebels

Commander: Commander Sato

Version: ARC01

Assault: Most Wanted

Defense: Abandoned Mining Facility

Navigation: Volatile Deposits

MC30c Scout Frigate (69)

• Commander Sato (25)

• Expert Shield Tech (5)

• Ordnance Experts (4)

• Assault Proton Torpedoes (4)

• Spinal Armament (9)

• Foresight (10)

= 126 Points

MC30c Scout Frigate (69)

• Walex Blissex (5)

• Ordnance Experts (4)

• Assault Proton Torpedoes (4)

• Spinal Armament (9)

• Admonition (10)

= 101 Points

Hammerhead Torpedo Corvette (36)

• Disposable Capacitors (3)

• Assault Proton Torpedoes (4)

• Task Force Organa (1)

= 44 Points

Hammerhead Torpedo Corvette (36)

• Disposable Capacitors (3)

• Assault Proton Torpedoes (4)

• Task Force Organa (1)

= 44 Points

Hammerhead Torpedo Corvette (36)

• Disposable Capacitors (3)

• Assault Proton Torpedoes (4)

• Task Force Organa (1)

= 44 Points

Hammerhead Torpedo Corvette (36)

• Disposable Capacitors (3)

• Assault Proton Torpedoes (4)

• Task Force Organa (1)

= 44 Points

GR-75 Medium Transports (18)

• Wedge Antilles (4)

• Jamming Field (2)

• Bright Hope (2)

= 26 Points

Squadrons:

• Han Solo (24)

• Luke Skywalker (20)

• Shara Bey (17)

• Tycho Celchu (16)

• Hera Syndulla (Ghost) (28)

• Ketsu Onyo (22)

• 4 x A-Wing Squadron (44)

= 171 Points

Total Points: 600

VASSAL update 4.13.0 "ARC01 & Legacy w0 (08-2025)"

 

### Module version 4.13.0 "ARC01 & Legacy w0 (08-2025)" is available! ###

Download: https://vassalengine.org/library/projects/Star_Wars_Armada

Direct download link: https://drive.google.com/file/d/124eGtocqBeVxtmtdm9QwuW2PntcBsBXT/view?usp=sharing

Checksum: aeaa872e

### OVERVIEW ###

Includes ARC01 + Legacy w0 & much improved card graphics overall.

### COMPATIBILITY ###

Armada 4.13.0 was built using VASSAL 3.7.16.

### CRITICAL BUGFIXES ###

Any number of players can now import their setup (vlog) file. REQUIRES VASSAL 3.7.16!!!

### OTHER BUGFIXES ###

Fixed a couple squads spawning to the far right + one erroneous spawn

### MAJOR NEW FEATURES ###

ARC01 compliant

Legacy w0 included

Majority of card images updated and rescaled for better viewability

### OTHER NEW FEATURES ###

Removed the pesky +/- buttons from squad bases. Those were added in an old beta for testing and never removed.

ARC01 Review, Part 2: Commanders

 

Commanders are the beating heart of Armada. They’re what make the game endlessly replayable—and often what defines the "soul" of your fleet. A good commander doesn’t just give you a bonus; they ask you to play the game differently. They push you to think in new patterns, build ships you might otherwise ignore, and execute tactics with precision.

Some commanders offer flat, easy-to-use buffs. Others demand deep planning and careful timing. That spectrum of complexity is part of what makes the game so rewarding.

That’s why having a diverse, competitively viable pool of commanders is absolutely essential to Armada’s long-term health. More usable commanders = more viable strategies = more variety at every level of play.

ARC01 recognizes this. In total, it updates eight commanders across the two original factions—most of them older and underused, though one (recently introduced by AMG) also gets a helpful revision. Some of these changes are small: cost adjustments or slight wording tweaks. Others are significant reworks that reimagine how the commander functions—while still preserving the flavor and general intent of the original.

---

🦅 Imperial Commander Reworks (ARC01)

ARC01 brings updates to four Imperial commanders—ranging from simple cost tweaks to clever mechanical reworks. Some of these were once titans of the meta. Others never quite found a place. Let’s see what’s changed—and whether it matters.

---

🟥 Admiral Motti

Change: -4 points (now 20 points)

The change is fine. Boring, but fine.

Motti wasn’t bad at 24 points, but when you compared him to what other 24-point commanders were offering, he was starting to feel overpriced. Dropping him to 20 feels about right.

That said, I’d still take Jerjerrod 99 times out of 100—he'll save me more damage over a game and get me into better firing positions. Motti’s just... simpler. He’s solid. Still B-tier, but more viable than before.

As an aside, I actually think giving Motti +4 hull on SSDs would’ve been perfectly reasonable. JJ would still be better, but at least you’d have a decision to make. But hey—I don’t play SSD much, so it’s not a big deal.

Verdict: Sensible change, even if it doesn’t set the world on fire.

---

🟥 Admiral Screed

Change: +2 points (now 26 points), and his "set a die to crit" result cannot be rerolled

Now this is how you do a meaningful rework.

The updated Screed bypasses a lot of the "stuff" that’s crept into the game since 1.5—PD Ions, evade buffs, and other tools that were starting to blunt his edge. The new wording is also cleverly designed: the crit die can’t be rerolled, and it bypasses evades at medium and short range, but not at long—so no cheap HIE spam tricks, for example.

This rework perfectly blends game mechanics, meta state, and Screed’s original design intent. I love it.

That said, classic black-dice Imperial MSU still isn’t in a great spot (my feelings on the pass token rules remain... complicated), so I don’t expect to see Screed spammed any time soon.

Verdict: A superb rework—even if it won’t bring Screed fully back to the top tables, it’s exactly what he needed.

---

🟥 Darth Vader

Change: -6 points (now 28 points, down from AMG's 34, 36 originally)

Now we’re talking.

Vader already had a small cost reduction under AMG, but it wasn’t enough to make a real difference. This drop brings him into much more playable territory. And I say that with some confidence—I’ve played Vader since before most of you were born 😉

There’s some counterplay in the reworded Palpatine, but nothing Vader can’t handle. And frankly, I don’t expect to see much Palpy anyway.

So yeah: I like this change. A lot.

Verdict: Go play Vader, you peasants.

---

🟥 Emperor Palpatine

Change: -3 points (now 32 points), and tweaked ability wording for better coverage

Another quiet win for ARC.

The point drop alone is welcome, but the key here is the subtle rewording of his effect—it now interacts properly with Vader, TRCs, Thermals, and a handful of other upgrade effects. The actual play experience is 99% the same, but now Palpy actually works in more situations and can’t be quite as easily ignored.

No longer binder fodder. Not oppressive either. Just... finally interesting.

Verdict: A very clean, smart tweak. It shows ARC knows what they’re doing.

---

🌟 Rebel Commander Reworks (ARC01)

ARC01 updates four Rebel commanders—ranging from long-time binder residents to ambitious reworks of recent AMG flubs. The results? Surprisingly fresh. None of these leap straight to S-tier dominance, but all four are now actually interesting—and at least one of them might be ARC’s best design win so far.

---

🔷 Commander Sato

Change: -2 points (now 25), and tweaked ability (better, but no longer affects salvo attacks)

Well, hello there, aren’t you a handsome fellow Mr. Sato.

I really like this one. ARC took a commander that was always very hard to get working at 400 points, and gave him the gentle—but substantial—nudge he needed. His ability is still recognizable, and may even reflect what FFG originally intended (if you’re old enough to remember the speculation when he was first previewed). But now? It’s better. Much better. And still not broken.

Yes, some players will complain about him no longer working with salvo or some corner-case interactions (like Solar Corona accuracy flips), but let’s be real: this is a big win.

There’s still a catch: Sato remains hard to fit. You need enough ships to leverage the ability, and enough squadrons to unlock it—which usually lands you in that awkward medium squad ball zone that isn’t elite at anything.

Verdict: Big W. Not S-tier. But definitely playable—and damn fun.

---

🔷 General Draven

Change: Kind of a full rework (now a raid-based squadron commander) and cost reduction (but he's not directly comparable to 2.0 anyway)

Ah, AMG. How little you understood Armada. I don’t miss you. At all.

Your two versions of Draven proved that point beautifully. The first was a mess. The second was at least playable—but still not good, and certainly not fun (for anyone involved).

ARC’s new Draven 3.0 might be ARC's biggest win yet.

Gone is the dial-peeking (which was annoying and mostly useless anyway). He still leans into Raid—but in a way that’s actually engaging. He’s now a real squadron commander, capable of boosting several Rebel squad ball archetypes without being oppressive. It’s not Sloane 2.0, and it’s not Raid spam either. There’s real counterplay.

Verdict: Fresh, flexible, and fun. Looking forward to seeing him on tables.

---

🔷 Leia Organa

Change: Removed her restriction on spending tokens while using her ability

YES. This is Leia in a gold bikini and she deserves appropriate alternate art:

Seriously though—this change completely fixes what was holding her back. Token use is essential in current Armada, and Leia’s old restriction made her feel like she was constantly fighting against the game’s most basic mechanics.

Now? She’s free to shine. Still requires thoughtful play, still rewards smart command stacking—but she’s no longer punished for daring to use a token.

Verdict: Competitive in the right fleet, but not oppressive. Exactly what she should be.

---

🔷 Mon Mothma

Change: Her ability now gives built-in ECM to evade tokens (can’t be locked down)

Binder queen Mon Mothma finally gets her due.

Her updated ability gives ECM-like protection to evade tokens—preventing opponents from locking them down, which is huge for ships with only one evade. But even double-evade ships like the MC30 benefit massively, and that’s where this starts getting spicy.

The only potential issue? Mothma Rogue fleets with dodgy small ships flying around the board, ducking everything you throw at them. During testing, ARC tried limiting her effect to close-medium range, but that turned out to be functionally irrelevant, so the final version is unrestricted.

That said, I still think Agate and Cracken will be just as good—or better—in similar roles. So this probably ends up being fine. Besides, if we’re cool with fortressing large ships in the meta, why not small ships that are hard to kill? TBH neither appeals to me but here we are.

Verdict: Minor misgivings, but more options = good. A small W.

---

🚀 Looking Ahead

ARC01 is just the beginning—and it’s a strong one. From cross-faction ships to revitalized commanders and squadron tweaks, this release shows that the ARC team understands both Armada’s design DNA and the evolving needs of the community.

Looking ahead, there’s a lot to be excited about:

• The upcoming tournament season is already taking shape, building toward Worlds 2026.

• Just before that, we’ll see ARC’s mid-season update, along with the VASSAL World Cup, which continues to grow as a major international online event.

• And I’ll be heading to Gdańsk in November for the European Masters, which should be a fantastic in-person benchmark for how the new content is shaking up competitive play.

I’m also very much looking forward to seeing what the Armada Legacy Project rolls out next—presumably a Wave 1 to follow their excellent Wave 0 debut. If it integrates as smoothly into the ARC ecosystem as their first release did, we’ll be in for another round of fresh, community-driven content that expands the game in the best possible way.

Whatever comes next, I’ll be covering it—both here and in the tools I help maintain. Armada’s alive again, and that’s what matters.

Until then: fly casual. Or aggressive. Or dodgy rogue swarm. Just make it interesting.

Disclaimer: This post was created with help from ChatGPT, primarily outlining, formatting, and presentation.

ARC01 Review, Part 1: Ships & Squads

 

🛰 ARC01 Review – New Life in a Galaxy far, far away

Edit: Now including the recosted Dictor & Pelta Assault

It’s been a long time since we've had new content for Star Wars: Armada—but thanks to the Armada Ruleset Collective, the game is not just alive, it's evolving. With the release of ARC01, we're seeing a careful but meaningful shift: one that brings new play opportunities without asking players to 3D print or proxy unfamiliar sculpts.

Before we dive in, some disclosure: I’m a playtester for ARC, but not part of the core design team. I approach this project with a mix of enthusiasm and cautious optimism. That said, I firmly believe that what ARC is doing—maintaining the rules, supporting organized play, and producing new content—is absolutely vital for Armada’s future. Any one of those pillars alone wouldn’t be enough to keep the game thriving. Together, though? They give this community its best shot at staying vibrant, creative, and competitive.

At the same time, I’m also very enthusiastic about other fan-driven initiatives—especially the Armada Legacy Project, which recently released its own “Wave 0” of new content. I’ve been genuinely impressed by the quality and thematic consistency of Legacy’s work. And since ARC01 and Legacy Wave 0 are fully compatible, I’m excited to support both efforts moving forward. You’ll see both sets supported on Armada Warlords and the VASSAL module—and hopefully on more tables in the near future.

So what’s in ARC01?

• 4 new ships: familiar hulls, now usable by new factions with thematic tweaks and rebalanced stats.

• 2 recosted ships: same old, but cheaper.

• 3 updated squadrons: subtle changes to old favorites that may breathe new life into overlooked builds.

• 8 reworked commanders: some minor tuning, others full makeovers—with significant implications for list building and playstyle.

I’ve had the chance to test these changes both in person and online—and I’m excited to walk you through what’s new, what’s changed, and what it all might mean for your next fleet.

🟣 CIS Ships

The Separatists get two ARC01 additions—both unique ships with very different roles. One adds speed and bite; the other brings rare utility and support. Let’s take a look.

---

🐙 Quarren Prototype Gunship

Reskinned Rebel MC30 – Unique

The Quarren Prototype Gunship is a game-changer for CIS list building. It finally gives the faction a small-base, speed 4, close-range burst-damage ship—something they’ve sorely lacked. That alone opens up a host of new tactical options.

• Perfect fit: It slots naturally into Kraken or TF-1726 builds, where its speed and bite can be maximized.

• Spicy combos: You can also go all-in with D-Caps under Mar Tuuk, or even try it with Dooku running D-Caps + ICBs—especially at 600 points where points and timing are more forgiving.

• No ordnance slot? No problem. The Ion slot gives it access to HIE, Overload Pulse, or even ICB for flexible burst or control. You could also boost defense with PD Ion Cannons if needed.

• Limitations: It’s unique, so you only get one. And there’s no strong defensive title. Still, a lightweight kit—Expert Shield Techs + Blast Doors, or Advanced Projectors—can go a long way.

• My take: Run it light and focused. Lurk. Strike. Disengage. Don’t overinvest. This is a scalpel, not a hammer.

⭐ Verdict: I’m genuinely excited for this ship. A fantastic design that adds a lot to CIS without bloating the faction. Hats off to ARC.

---

🧠 Munificent Command Frigate

New Munificent Variant – Unique

This one has me more conflicted. On paper, the Command Frigate looks incredible:

• Upgrade bar includes: Weapons Team, Offensive + Defensive Retrofit, and Fleet Support—that’s an unheard-of combo on a medium-base ship.

• Cost is reasonable, and the platform is familiar.

But then... reality sets in:

• No Ion slot means no PD Ions, a big defensive loss.

• No Support Team means you’re locked at speed 2.

• It’s unique, so you can’t build a “support fleet” around a bunch of them.

It ends up feeling like a budget Providence—but with far less punch and a weird identity. And once you fill that beautiful upgrade bar, you’ve created a slow, expensive, medium-base piñata. It could be good, especially with a leaner loadout—but the hidden costs are real.

Also: it may unintentionally crowd out the existing Comms and Star Frigate Munis, which already see little play. On the other hand... maybe that’s okay. Any Muni showing up on competitive tables at all is an upgrade.

⭐ Verdict: Interesting but risky. Could be useful in the right hands—but not the slam dunk it looks like at first glance.

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🟢 GAR Ships

On the Republic side, ARC01 brings in two non-unique additions—ships that help fill roles GAR has long struggled to cover. They’re practical, playable, and thematic... but perhaps not quite as exciting as their CIS counterparts.

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⚪ Arquitens-class Light Cruiser

Reskinned Imperial Arquitens – Non-unique

This is the one I really hoped to see make the jump to Clone Wars—aside from, you know, the Lucrehulk (but that’s a discussion for another day). The GAR Arquitens gives Republic players a small, fast, long-ranged red dice ship with a light cost and small footprint. Sounds great, right?

Well, kind of.

• Balance challenges: The design space here is tight. If this ship were just a 1:1 port of the Imperial version, it would’ve been crazy good with Luminara or Obi-Wan, especially when paired with ESTs, Zak Swivels, or other GAR-specific synergies.

• ARC’s take: They’ve rebalanced it carefully, avoiding the need to make it unique while still keeping it usable. That’s a win in my book.

• Token swap issues: I’m still not convinced the token change really nerfs it enough. Double Evades with Luminara will still be obnoxious. Meanwhile, Obi-Wan continues to suffer (again).

• List fit: You probably won’t swarm with these. Maybe one or two in an Anakin fleet (e.g., Zak + Clone Gunners) could work, but an Arquitens spam list feels... off.

• Dice control woes: GAR doesn’t have the best dice fixing options outside Anakin. Clone Gunners, Vet Gunners, Sensor Teams... sure. But with a small native pool and no crit effects to build around, it’s hard to push consistent damage.

⭐ Verdict: Honestly? I’m not thrilled. It’s fine, and I’ll run one now and then—but I doubt it’ll be a staple. I want to like it more than I do. Maybe I’ll be pleasantly surprised.

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🔴 Venator-class Star Destroyer – Imperator Refit

New Venator variant – Non-unique

The Imperator Refit is a new Venator variant that aims to do one thing and do it well: get in and smash face. And... it does that. Very effectively.

• Role clarity: It gives GAR a direct, high-damage brawler without the carrier overhead or overreliance on SPHAT.

• No frills: The loadout is lean, aggressive, and not too expensive. It works. It fills a gap.

• But also... kinda bland. I’ll be honest—the best part might be the card art (and I’m only half joking). It gets the job done, but there’s not much flair or identity to it beyond “more dakka.”

• Design constraints: That’s not really a fault of ARC’s design—it’s just a result of a narrow, pre-established design space. Within those limits, this is a well-executed ship.

⭐ Verdict: A solid workhorse. It makes sense, fills a need, and is a welcome addition—but doesn’t light any fires creatively. CIS got the fun toys. GAR got the tools.

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📉 Points-Only Changes

Before we moe on to squads, let’s take a moment to cover two ships that received pure points adjustments in ARC01. No rule tweaks, no new variants—just good old-fashioned cost cuts. Do they make a difference? Let’s find out.

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🟥 Interdictor Combat Refit (Empire)

Change: -8 points (down from 93 to 85)

This is a good change... in the most uninspired way possible.

Yes, the Combat Refit is finally cheaper than the Suppression Refit—as it should have been from day one. But the core problem remains: the Combat still only gets one Experimental Retrofit, while the Suppression gets two. And while the Interdictor is a solid platform, it’s not so amazing that this cost cut suddenly elevates the Combat Refit to greatness.

• Sure, you can now fit two of them more easily (and save 18 points doing so).

• Sure, if you love Projection Experts, that matters.

• But let’s be honest: this chassis needed more.

Give it a turbolaser slot, and now we’re talking. This? Still feels like a placeholder fix.

Verdict: A step in the right direction—but not nearly far enough.

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🔷 Pelta-class Assault Ship (Rebels)

Change: -4 points (down from 56 to 52)

Now this is a more interesting drop.

At 52 points, the Assault Pelta is now a super-cheap carrier for Fleet Commands, especially for Intensify Firepower!, which continues to be one of the strongest effects in the game. And that’s probably where we’ll see most of its use going forward.

But here’s the thing: this ship still lacks identity. It’s awkward, it’s weird, and it has one of the strangest upgrade bars in Armada. And ARC missed an opportunity here—if you can give the CIS MC30 a new bar and unique feel, why not tweak the Pelta?

• It’s not a great platform for most Fleet Commands.

• Its upgrades don’t synergize with itself.

• And the Fleet Commands themselves are imbalanced, which doesn't help.

So yes, you’ll see it more often. But not because it’s “good”—just because it’s cheap and useful in one specific role.

Verdict: An effective cost cut, but a missed opportunity to truly fix a strange ship.

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✈ Squadron Updates

ARC01 also brings some long-overdue attention to a few iconic—but underused—named squadrons. These aren’t massive overhauls, but each change is a clear attempt to make these ships relevant without pushing them into auto-include territory.

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✨ Luke Skywalker (X-Wing)

Change: Loses Escort, gains Rogue

This change is... bland, but fine.

Swapping Escort for Rogue turns Luke from an overpriced target that never fit in 4-ace lists into a viable member of a Rebel Rogue ball. He’s not broken. He’s not an auto-include. But hey—he’s finally in the running, and that’s something. It’s kind of nice to see Rebel Hero #1 out of the binder at last.

That said, I would have loved to see Luke gain Adept 1, like so many players hoped. ARC felt it would be too much when combined with his “ignore all shields” ability—and while I get the reasoning, I’m not fully convinced. (You could give him Adept and reword the ability... but maybe that’s too much revisionism.)

⭐ Verdict: He’s fine. It’s an improvement. A win.

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🖤 Darth Vader (TIE Advanced)

Change: Loses Escort, gains Screen, and -1 point

Again: fine, appropriate, and a massive improvement.

Vader can now hide behind his goons instead of dying first to protect them. That means his special ability (reroll all dice) might actually see play. He’s no longer binder fodder... but I’d still put him in Tier B, mainly because he’s competing with Darth Vader in a TIE Defender, which is frankly a hard act to beat.

Would I have liked to see a more radical rework? Maybe. Adept 2 feels like it practically screams to be included. But ARC stuck close to the original here, and the small twist does a lot.

⭐ Verdict: Expect to see him occasionally, but probably not often.

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🟡 Han Solo (Millennium Falcon)

Change: -2 points

Zzzz… what, sorry?

Oh—Han. Yeah. Point drop is fine and long overdue. But honestly? He’s still binder material. He’s just too expensive for what he brings, and outside of a Sato fleet (old or new), there are just better options like Lando, Ketsu, or the new Luke.

⭐ Verdict: Not enough. Should have gotten Bomber. Still a snoozer. Sad times.

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📦 Wrap-Up: Ships + Squadrons

ARC01's ship and squadron updates may not be flashy, but they’re targeted, thoughtful, and effective. The new cross-faction ships—especially for CIS—open up fresh list archetypes without forcing players into new purchases or custom prints. The squadron tweaks breathe new life into iconic pilots who’ve been gathering dust for years.

There’s clearly a design philosophy at work here: stay close to the original feel, but remove barriers to playability. And for the most part? ARC nails it.

Next time, we’ll dive into the commander reworks—there’s a lot to cover, from subtle tuning to total reinventions.

Disclaimer: This post was created with help from ChatGPT, primarily outlining, formatting, and presentation.